My apologies for calling it an adipose fin. Also, the practice of clipping fins has been stopped for the most part, as this affects fish survival. The 53" we had this year had it's fin clipped, but another 51 did not.

The Great Lakes musky strain in Green Bay does indeed reproduce, but the population is further helped by the work of Titletown Musky Club and the WI DNR. Natural fish versus stocked fish are identified by the adipose fin, where stocked fish have this fin removed and natural reporducing fish still maintain this fin.

I believe that all true muskies, regardless of strain can reproduce. So, tiger muskies are the ones who are sterile. And the Great Lakes strain is no tiger musky. That being said, I thought I heard/saw somewhere that tigers may actually spawn as well, so who really knows.

What I do know is this....muskies and fish will go through the motions of spawning. There are many factors affecting whether or not the spawn will be effective.

On my "home" lake of Pewaukee, muskies spawn every spring. But the results of the spawn is near 0%. What happens? Many things...perhaps the water wasn't quite the right temperature for the eggs to hatch. Perhaps the bottom of the lake changes due to winds and the eggs do not hatch. Perhaps (and most likely) carp/suckers came around after the eggs were dropped and eat them. There are dozens of factors that lead to an unsuccessful spawn.

This unsuccessful reproduction isn't just for southeastern Wisconsin lakes, or the Bay. It also happens in lakes up north. Why? Anyone's best guess as there are many factors that go into play.

That is why it is imperative for clubs and the DNR to do their best to keep repopulating the lakes with fish. And not just muskies.

Pewaukee has a rockin' Walleyes for Tomorrow Chapter. Those guys are catching their own females in nets, milking their eggs, fertilizing the eggs with milk from males, then hatching the eggs and putting the fry back into the lake. They are optimizing the spawning process...albeit artificially. And even after doing all of that, the fry are so small and delicate that I want to say the anticipated survival rate is .5%. (To adulthood and 15 inches.) Half of one percent. Although I think Pewaukee is doing a lot better than that estimate.

Same holds true for muskies. You gotta put fish into lakes when natural reproduction just isn't working. Take and put fisheries.

I'm pretty proud of the work my chapter has done, Milwaukee Chapter of Muskies Inc. I'm also proud of the work that the Muskellunge Club of Wisconsin has done regarding stocking. We are doing our best to keep muskies in the water.

I see online where many other chapters are active in stocking as well. And this is great. The future of the sport depends on it.